Of course with all the fuss over the Royal Wedding today you would think I would write about Kate’s dress, right?

Well, I’m working on it, of course, but today’s focus is on the hats worn by guests. I swoon!

Do you think we will see more American wedding guests wearing hats in the future? I hope so!

Happy weekend, y’all!

What one aspect of the royal wedding are you most looking forward to seeing this week?  The decor? The flowers? Kate’s dress?  I’d love to know!

I wish all of the readers of The Stylish Planner a wonderful Easter weekend with your family and friends.  I’ll be back on Monday with our regularly scheduled posts.

I am a big fan of Target, or “Tar-jay” as I sometimes like to refer to it.  In fact, my family and I have formed a personal boycott on that other big box retail store after opening a Target Red-Card account in which we receive a 5% on every purchase.  I have learned over time that Target.com will very frequently run free shipping specials for purchases over $50, and about once every other month, they will also run a 15 – 20% off sale on certain clothing brands.  Merona is one of their brands that I ADORE because the clothing is very well made, many of the women’s dresses have a very tailored fit to them and they are really on trend with current styles.  Here is a great example:

  Adelson Shift Jacquard Dress from Lilly Pulitzer – $278

Here’s a gorgeous little sheath dress from Lilly Pulitzer.  It’s one of those versatile looks that would work well for business meetings and easily take you into an evening event.  I have been eyeing a very similar dress I saw at Target from their Merona Collection:

Merona® Collection Women’s Zea 2fer Dress – Blue – $39.99

The Merona brand also makes a great cardigan sweater.  I have several sheath dresses by Merona and they are worth every penny of the $39.99 average retail price.  Of course, I come from the old school way of thinking that says, “Only a fool pays retail.” so I use my Target card and wait for sales as much as possible!

Have you tried the Merona brand for Target? 

Name:  Mrs. Lauren R. Weems

Company Name:  RSVP Special Events & Design

Number of years in business: 3

Website: www.MyDesignRSVP.com

Blog: http://blog.mydesignrsvp.com

Twitter handle: @lw_RSVPdesign

What is your "go-to" evening industry event attire? (I.e., associational meeting, vendor or venue open house, etc.)
I love to wear dresses or skirts whenever I get the chance! If it’s
Summer, then I’m wearing something from Lily Pulitzer. If it’s during winter, then a dress from BCBG or Anthropologie. But in the winter, no outfit is complete without the perfect coat, scarf, and pair of
big sunglasses!

What is your attire for wedding/event day set-up?
While setting up events I will usually wear black slacks and a white shirt. I have to be comfortable while hauling vases and folding napkins! Whatever the occasion, I wear something because I like it, and it makes me feel comfortable, not because it happens to be trendy at the moment.

What is your attire for actual wedding/event?
For actual events, I need to wear something that looks very professional so that people know that I am in charge, not just a guest! Sometimes you have to dress for the respect that you want. Comfortable shoes for running around all day are also a must.

What style and brand of shoes do you wear on wedding/event days?
Comfort rules on event days. I try to wear good quality comfortable shoes that still look dressy and have a little heel. I find the most comfortable are the Cole Haan shoes that use the Nike Air technology, Anne Klein iflex, Aerosoles, Born, or Naturalizer. Things have changed in the shoe market; just because a brand is known for comfort doesn’t mean they don’t also carry cute styles.

Tell us about your favorite jeans and why you love them.
My favorite jeans is this black pair called "Dream Diva" by "IT! JEANS Los Angelos." I love them because they are so comfortable, and I can dress them up or down. I also love the studded rhinestones on the back pockets that add a little touch glamour.

Who is your favorite celebrity style icon and why?
My favorite celebrity style icon is Gwyneth Paltrow because her style has this effortless and graceful feel to it. She always seems put together without being too fussy. I think she always stays true to her own sense of style, without diving into every crazy trend that comes along.

Please share with us (in 50 words or less) your favorite style tip:
Never estimate the power of the perfect pair of sunglasses and purse!
These are power accessories that put the polishing edge on the perfect outfit. Invest in these accessories that you wear everyday, and it will enhance every single outfit. These complete your look, and if you take care of them, you will have them for a longtime. Eventually you can retire them to your "Designer Trousseau" collection of collectible and vintage labels. Pass them on to your daughter, or wear again later yourself!

What would you like people to know about you that they may not discover just by viewing your website or blog?
I would like all potential clients/brides to know how welcome we make you feel when you work with us! To us, this is not your average work relationship; it is a friendship. We become not only your floral & event stylist, but also your listening ear, your shoulder to cry on, your personal cheerleader, and your friend.

What is your most treasured possession?
Other than my two yorkies and my husband, I would have to say the paintings I did in college the year my husband & I started dating! I painted them at the beaches near where he was living at the time in Sarasota, Fl. How I was feeling at the time came through in the movement of my brush strokes. I look at those paintings and I remember falling in love with him, and feeling carefree, and unstoppable.

What message would you like to convey to others in our industry?
We offer a service that used to be available only to celebrities and royalty, but is now available to a normal bride. Having a customized and cohesive wedding design is something every bride wants, and we are here to give it to her! We believe every bride deserves a professionally designed wedding.

Note from Jeannine:  Hey ya’ll!  I hope you enjoy reading this post from my friend, Janice Carnevale of Bellwether Events.  She’s such a wonderful person and a talented planner, so you may want to check out her Style Profile that ran in October of last year.  She’s been a great supporter of The Stylish Planner, when I heard that she donated her hair every couple of years to Locks of Love, I asked her to share with us her recent experience.  I really enjoyed learning how simple the process is and seeing Janice’s heartfelt donation.  I know you will enjoy this too.  Thanks, Janice for sharing!

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“It grows back.”  This is what I tell people when they are staring at me, slack-jawed, after I inform them of my regular donations to Locks of Love.

Before photo:

After photos by:  Kursten Roe

When I got engaged in 2005, I swore I would grow my hair long for the wedding, and then donate it afterward.  That didn’t work out because I cut off 4 inches the week of the wedding.  So it was a year later, in April of 2007, when I made my first donation to Locks of Love.  And when I got the thank you card in the mail, I immediately teared up and vowed to do it again.  In February of 2009 I made my second donation to Locks of Love, and last month, February of 2011, I made my third.  I have donated at least 32 inches to Locks of Love.  It really does grow back.

Obviously I am not particularly attached to my hair.  The last few months of the donation process are tough – my hair gets so thick and long, it is really annoying to try to manage.  I like sleep way too much to actually get up earlier to properly style it.  And the shortness of my thick hair after the donation do require that I take some time to style it.  But it grows back.

Locks of Love is a public non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged people under the age of 21 in the United States and Canada.  The children qualify for these high quality hair prosthetics  because the are are suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis.  Most of the children helped by LOL have lost their hair due to alopecia areata, a medical condition that has no known cause or cure.  The prostheses LOL provides help to restore their self-esteem and their confidence, enabling them to face the world and their peers.

Hair that is colored or permed is accepted by LOL.  Hair that has been bleached is not – if you are unsure, ask your stylist.  The hair must have been cut and kept in a pony tail or braid – hair swept from the floor is not accepted.  The minimum donation is 10 inches, and curly hair may be pulled straight to meet the minimum. Hair from men, women, and children of all races is needed.  Gray hair will also be accepted.  Shorter hair, at least 6 inches, will be accepted and resold to offset manufacturing costs of these hair prosthetics.  Monetary donations are also accepted, and are fully tax deductible.  A donation of $1000 will sponsor a prosthesis for one child.

Do you include negotiating pricing and terms of the contract for your clients with other vendors in your services?  Why or why not?

Having an accountability partner in business has single handedly been one of the smartest things I’ve done.  Having a savvy, understanding person to bounce ideas off of and vent to has been my saving grace on more than one occasion.  In addition to being a sounding board for urgent matters where I may be on the fence about how to proceed, the encouragement I have received has been invaluable.

Additionally, the friendship I have with my partner, although founded on business, has grown tremendously.  In sharing ideas with my partner, those ideas became very real, and I feel obligated to update her on how things are progressing.  She knows my worries, my family concerns, my heart.  It is a very intimate things being so open and honest with someone, but I strongly recommend this kind of partnership if you have the opportunity.

To my partner:  I cherish you.  Thank you for praying for me, encouraging me and reaching out to me.  So sorry for my inconsistency as of late.  I’d love to see us get back on track soon!

Do you have an accountability partner?  If not, will you consider having that relationship with someone anytime soon?

Photo courtesy of www.weddinginpsirasi.com

This post makes me happy.  Yes, it’s official – Kate Spade has officially entered the wedding market.  Check out the fun new site for their wedding shop.  This may very well be the new “go to” collection for fun finds for the bride who loves bright colors.  With lovely, well made shoes, elegant handbags/clutches, and beautiful jewelry – both delicate and bold, brides will not be disappointed.  Even better?  The items are classic and timeless – brides  can add the items to the everyday wardrobe when the wedding is done.  Also, check out the casual items that are showcased – such fun pieces for honeymoon and beyond!

Note from Jeannine:  Michelle Loretta and I will be speakers at Eventology this coming Monday and I can’t wait to hear her presentation.  There is all kinds of business wisdom in her small little package.  What I think I appreciate most about Michelle is her willingness to help others with their businesses.  We spoke by phone a few months ago and I shared some uncertainties I had about the future direction of The Stylish Planner.  Michelle honestly shared her thoughts and very quickly clarified some things for me that helped me get back on track.  Although I have followed Michelle on Twitter and have read the Sage Wedding Pros blog religiously, I have not yet had the opportunity to hear her speak, so I’m very eager to hear her talk next week.  I’m so pleased to share her Style Profile here with you – be sure to follow Michelle on Twitter also: @sageweddingpros!

Name:  Michelle M. Loretta

Location:  Miami, FL

Company Name:  Sage Wedding Pros

Number of years in business:  2

Website:  www.sageweddingpros.com

Blog:  www.sageweddingpros.com

Twitter handle:  @sageweddingpros

If you are a wedding and event professional other than a planner, please describe your product or service.  We educate wedding professionals on how to create a sustainable business.

How would you describe your personal style?  Depends on the time of day.  I’m not a morning person whatsoever.  I’m often the one hiding under sunglasses (even on gray days) when I drop my daughter off at preschool.  Style doesn’t always make its way into my schedule until later in the day.

I used to have a fun funky style, but with age I’ve had to grow up.  What you wear in your 20s, you can’t pull off in your mid-30’s.  You probably shouldn’t try.  Also, after I had my daughter my feet changed and I couldn’t pull off the stilettos that I did when I was younger.  (I still try, but it just hurts so much more.) 

These days, my style has become much more of a “cool calm casual”.  I think this also melds with my life in Miami.  We live in tropical paradise here and so that’s how we dress.  I often wear white pants with a nice bold top in dark pink, turquoise, or lime green.  I love earrings and bracelets, but rarely wear anything around my neck.  I love sophisticated sandals too!  And, I gravitate towards almost anything gold.

What is your “go-to” meeting attire?  I used to get super-dressy for meetings.  I think this was a stay-over from my days in corporate America.  But, I realized this sometimes intimidated people.  It’s important that people can open up and relax with me – feel free to talk about their business with me.  I also can’t be changing outfits 10 times a day between the pre-school drop-off and my business meetings.  I tend to stick to my “cool calm casual” that I’d wear to a casual dinner out here in Miami as mentioned above.

What is your “go-to” evening industry event attire?  I’m a “dress” girl.  I have big hips and thighs so I feel most comfortable wearing a skirt or dress because they are slimming.  When presenting at a conference or attending an industry event, I’ll usually wear a dress.  I feel most comfortable and confident in dresses.

What style and brand of shoes do you wear on wedding/event days?  In my “other life” as a stationery designer, I never attend the actual events.  But when I have to be on my feet all day in a workshop or seminar I really like Me Too shoes.  They are really comfortable, cute, and affordable.  I only sacrifice my feet on days when I get to really enjoy myself (personal outings: dancing, drinking, dining, etc.)

Tell us about your favorite jeans and why you love them.  I have this pair of jeans I bought from Banana Republic about 6 years ago.  It’s really random because I don’t usually like their jeans.  I don’t even remember the make or fit.  (I’ve since looked for similar but they aren’t the same.)  These jeans fit just right.  I love them. I wish I could replicate them.

Who is your favorite celebrity style icon and why?  Hmph.  This is a tough question.  I really don’t have a “style icon”.  I think from so many years living (growing up) in Los Angeles that celebrity-fascination escapes me.  I don’t really look up to others in this way.  I am who I am and I’ve got the style that comes with that.

What is your favorite style tip?  Lipstick or lipgloss are incredible for dressing up an otherwise “dowdy” day.  (We all have them!)

What would you like people to know about you that they may not discover just by viewing your website or blog?  I don’t like labeling people or classifying anyone.  Everyone is interesting and individual in their own way.  Everyone has strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and challenges.  I love getting to know each person I meet.

What is your most treasured possession?  Proverbial possession: 1) my education 2) my travels.  Real possession: my engagement ring which was my great-grandmother’s engagement ring, a ring designed for her in Uruguay in the 1910s for her own engagement.  It’s a very unique piece that blends the Victorian style of the early 1900s with the blossoming 1920s art deco movement.

What message would you like to convey to others in our industry?  Be true to yourself.  Your company and your brand will have greatest strength if you know who you are and are consistent in communicating this to your clients.